News Release

Pinnacles National Park is beginning to increase recreational access to foot and bicycle traffic

Date: May 22, 2020
Contact: Christopher Symons

Pinnacles National Park is beginning to increase recreational access to foot and bicycle traffic

(Paicines, CA) – Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Pinnacles National Park is increasing recreational access to bike and foot traffic only because parking areas remain closed. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.

Beginning May 22, Pinnacles National Park will reopen access to bicycle and foot traffic on the east and west sides of the park from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Saturday. Parking areas inside the park remain closed. Limited parking on private land may be available outside of the park on the east side. Parking on roadways outside the park is unsafe and subject to ticketing. Visitors are encouraged to coordinate drop-offs and pick-ups or use rideshare when accessing the park during this time.

Campers with advanced reservations may continue to access the park and must enter and exit between the hours of 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Saturday. Camping reservations may be made at Recreation.gov.

 In addition, entry fees are waived, and the following services continue to be available:   
 

• Pinnacles Camp Store remains open.
• Restrooms throughout the park.
• Park trails open to foot traffic only – bicycles are not permitted on trail.

With public health in mind, the following facilities and/or services remain closed at this time:
 

• Park shuttle
• Parking areas inside the park
• All NPS public buildings except bathrooms
• Portions of the High Peaks Trail
• Bear Gulch and Balcony Caves
• Walk up Camping
   

“The park staff and I want to thank our visitors for their patience and understanding as we steadily and safely increase access to the park. This is a great opportunity to experience the park but please come prepared to hike and/or bike to the start of trailheads normally accessible by car,” said Superintendent Blanca Alvarez Stransky.

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Pinnacles National Park, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance, and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.  

While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.

The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19, and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.  

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/news/newsreleases.htm and social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on the NPS Coronavirus page

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.